The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-20
A BIG : TEAL.
A Contractor Describes How Section of the
Union Pacific Was Built.

Union Pacific Was Built.
St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Henry s. Cameron, at present resident of
Philadelphia. but who for the last twenty five
years has been o railroad contractor and has-
travelled through the country from the Atlantic
to the Pacific IN the line of his profession, ar
rived in the city on his way to California last
night and is at the Southern. reporter called
upon Mr.. Cameron and requested him TO give
account of some of his experiences in the con-
strnction of railroads in the West my first
large contract" began Mr.. Cameron, was in
connection with the construction of the Union
Pacific railroad.
The construction of this road has always
been considered wonderful feat. and so it was
in its conception. but In its execution 1t was one
of the easiest tasks ever engaged in. From the
Platte to the river Jordan in Utah, the country
presents fewer engineering difficulties than any
/ ever saw. aud there scarcely place be-
tween Omaha and Weber canyon, a distance of
over a thousand miles, where any grading was
necessary. But this was not known to the au-
thorities st Washington, and one of the most
coolly impudent robberies / ever heard OF was
perpetrated by the L pon Pacific Company. in
we-faunded reliance upon the governments
careessness and lack of knowledge The gov
eminent allowed the road $4,000 mile
for work on tbs plains and .oOO
a mile for mountain work When
the line reached point just west of Cheyenne.
and work suspended for month or two
agents OF the road went to New York and Wash
ington. and told terrible tales of the frightful
passes to be crossed, aud the difficulties that
would be encountered in the passage of the
Rocky mountains. A number of photographers
and Washington was flooded with photographs
of rocky cliffs, yawnine chasms and raging tor
rents. This plan had the effect of preventing
any close scrutiny being made when the
mountain appropriation of s32, 900 was de-
manied by the railroad, and for $50
miles this amount was paid. As mat
perfectly smooth prairie with quite ascent,
il is true. but presenting no engineering difficult
ties whatever. As matter OF fact, the road
pursues a most sinuous path over the Laramie
plains in order to secure the appropriation given
only for very difficult mountain work WHAT
was received from the government, including
the land grant, more than built and equipped
the road, and those on the inside really received
it in return for their labor in planning and man
aging the construction.
"One fact was most foreibiy impressed upon
me-" continued MIR. Cameron, land that WAS the
engineering skill of the pioneers who crossed
the continent in wagons. For hundreds of miles
the railroad runs along the old emigranr trail,
ana where it was departed from the dsadvant
ages of the new line. generally outweighed the
advantages. From the North Platte to the
River Jordan the old trail is on the best line
that could be laid out, and in most cases where
the railroad diverged from it the object WAS to
run over particularly easy country in a zigzag
line, thus securing a larger amount OF money
from the government
'1he lawlessness that prevailed during the
construction of the road" Mr.. Cameron went on
TO say, was something unexampied In TINS
country since the early days of California
The workmen were Irish, for the most part and
inclined to be violent but they were not muir.
by perfect swarm of gamblers. who robbed
the men of their last cent, and were fearful
pest. These men were old frontiersmen who
were accustomed to settling all disputes with
knife aud pistol. and the Irish fell like sheep be-
fore them. At the right of each dealer at the
numerous faro tables lay heavy army re-
volrer. with the barrel sawed of TO render
its handling more easy and rapid. and in many
cases the catches on the hammer were fled
away. The for this was that pistol OF
this kind could be discharged in a second by
simply drawing back the hammer and letting 1t
fall again, thus saving several seconds OF valua-
be time. Before such men the Irish. unskilied
in arms. were helpless. and many hundreds were
killed before the road was completed some
times Judge Lynch stepped in, but generally the
murders went on as If nothing had happened.
The whole road was cd with the wooden head
boards of the slain. bearing the name of the
murdered man and the Simple but Significant
words, Killed at such and such date
Cheyenne and Laramie, which were each the
depots of the road for some time, were particu-
larly lawless places in those Gays, but they both
paled before the reign Of terror that broke out
Promoptory, in Utah. where the Union and
Central roads Here the lawless elements
of both roads were brought together and per-
feet pandemonium ensued. For fifty miles the
roads were built side by side, there WAS
dispute to the territory belonging to each. and
as its terminus The gangs were guarded by
armed men, bstween whom deadly fights often
sprung ND, and the losses were. IN the aggre-
gate. as heavy those of a considerable battle.
The dispute was finally settled and the roads
met a Ogden. which has ever since been tho
terminus of each.
when the construction was completed there